Rotary marking tool



NI A 4 mm E ibifi m m MAE- N F III 7 o 2 R E 7 J \w W ATTORNEY.

March 14, 1961 J. FRIEDMAN ROTARY MARKING TOOL Filed July 20, 1959 ROTARY MARKING TOOL Jerome Friedman, 36 Eastwood Lane, Valley Stream, N-Y.

Filed July 20, 1959, Ser. No. 828,368 14 Claims. (Cl. 101-28) The present invention relates to rotary marking tools and more particularly to the type employing a marking wheel which is brought to bear against a rotating piece of work to make its impression thereon. Upon completion of the marking operation and withdrawal of the marking tool from the work, the marking wheel automatically returns to an initial start position. To accomplish this, the marking wheel is spring-loaded and a suitable means is included to prevent reverse rotation of the marking wheel until the tool is withdrawn from the work.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a rotary marking tool of the character mentioned, but of novel and improved construction, affording easy removal and replacement of the marking wheel which is accomplished by simple hand manipulation without the use of any tool whatsoever. i

A further object thereof is to provide a novel and improved rotary marking tool of the type set forth having novel, simple and inexpensive means to prevent reverse rotation of the marking wheel until the tool is Withdrawn from the work. a

p A further object thereof is to provide a novel and improved construction in marking tools of the kind described, in which all control mechanism is permanently enclosed in the body of the tool, and is engaged for proper action upon the mere insertion of a removable spindle which mounts the marking Wheel.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel and improved marking tool having the features mentioned, which is simple in construction, easy to assemble and disassemble for the purpose of changing the marking wheeLreasonably cheap. to manufacture and efficient in carrying out the purposes and functions for which it is designed. j I Other objects and advantages will become apparent as this disclosure proceeds. p n For the practice of this invention, one form itmay assume is to have an enlarged U-formation at the end of a shank. A length-Wise removable spindle is positioned through the arms of the U-form and it is between these arms that the spindle carries the marking wheel. Al-lcontrol mechanismis housed within a bore through one of said arms. An aligned bore through the'other arm serves as the bearing for'one end of said spindlcl The control mechanism oifers bearing meansfor the other end .of the spindle. The ends of the spindle are preferably flush with the outer faces of said arms, which carry movable elements holding the spindle against length: wise movement. When said elements are shifted, the spindle is released for length-wise removal, thereby making the marking wheel free. Said spindleis provided with a lengthwise key inwardly of its ends, which is loose through but in proper engagement with cooperating slots in said marking wheel and the control mechanism respectively upon assembly of the tool. The control mech- 2,974,583 C Patented Mar. 14, 9 1

prevents such return movement until the marking tool is withdrawn from the work. No tools are needed to change the marking wheel. All that is necessary is to move the spindle-confining elements to free the spindle for removal and upon reassembly, said elements are moved back to confine the spindle serving as the main shaft of this device.

For prevention of the return movement of the marking wheel until the tool is retracted from the work, a usual ratchet and pawl may be employed; a fixed stop on the machine on which the tool is employed, acting to trip the pawl. However, I have devised means of novel, simpler and cheaper construction to serve for this func tion, namely a plain wheel associated with a cam lock lever, or aplain wheel associated with a brake means.

I will now set forth a detailed description of preferred forms of my invention and explain the operation thereof.

In the accompanying drawing, similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Fig. lis a perspective view showing a preferred embodimerit of a marking tool in accordance with the teachings of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of said as seen from the rear of the showing of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of Fig. 1, shown partly in section.

s Fig. 4 is a central sectional view of various assembled components included in this tool.

Fig." 5 showsa wheel associated with a brake means, which is oneform of structure I have devised to hold the marking Wheel against reverse movement. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view showing a wheel associated with a cam lock, which is another form of structure tool for said purpose. 7

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view showing an ordinary ratchet and a pawl to hold against reverse movement. Fig. 8 shows a flat face of the marking wheel. In the drawing, the numeral 15 designates generally the rotary marking tool comprising a marking wheel 16 positioned between the arms. 17, 18 of an enlarged U- formation which isat the end of a shank 19, thereby forming a clevis. The arm 17 is relatively thin in relation to, the arm 18. Each of these arms is provided with a bore. These bores 20, 21 are coaxial. Press fit into the bore 20, is abearing structure which may be the hardened ring 22 for revolvingly supporting one end of the spindle or main shaft 23. The inner end of the bore 21 has press fit therein, the ring casing 24 which holds a spiral spring 25. The outer end of said bore 21, has press fit therein a bearing structure which may be the hardened ring 26. A bushing structure 27, serves anism mentioned comprises spring means-to bias the 3 spindle to return to a starting position and means which as a hollow shaft whosc length equals the thickness of the arm 18.. Said hollow shaft carries fixed thereon,.the hubbedwheelzfi which is across the space in the bore 21 between the spring 25 and the bearing ring 26. The hub 23' of this wheel bears against said ring 26, while an end circular flange 27, ,on the tubularshaft member 2.7, is rotatably mounted in the hole of said ring.2,6. The inner end of the tubular shaft 27, rotates freely in and has bearing support in the hole in the ring casing 24. A pin '29, which might also serve to secure the wheel hub 28' to the hollow. shaft 2'], extends radially from said hub .for cooperation with the set screw 30 which is threadedly mounted in the arm 18. A pin ,31 extending laterally from the wheel 28 has the inner end of the spiral spring 25 secured thereon. The outer end of said spring is anchored at 32 to the arm 18. of the frame of the tool. In the structure illustrated, the outer faces of the bearing ring 26 and .the flange 27'. of the hollow shaft, are 7 of the bearing ring 22 are flush with the opposite faces of the arm 17 respectively. The main shaft 23 is provided with a lengthwise key 34 which is inward of each end of saidshaft, a distance exceeding a bit the thickness of the arm 17 of the tool frame. The marking wheel 16 and any spacer washers (not shown) which might be used on said shaft 23 to properly space the making wheel between the arms 17, 18, as well as the hollow shaft member 27, are each provided with a keyway which easily slidably admit the key 34 when assembly is effected as shown in Fig. 3, and of course, upon rotation of the marking wheel 16, the spacer washers if any are used, the main shaft 23 and the tubular shaft 27, will all rotate as a unit, because of the engagement of the key 34 in the keyway 35 in the marking wheel and the keyway 36 in the tubular shaft 27 and in the keyways of the spacer washers. The size of the central hole in the springs casing 24 is sufiicient to clear the key 34. By providing a keyway 37 in the bearing ring 20, it is evident that the main shaft 23 may be slid longitudinally to be free out of the assembly, or inserted to effect the assembly. In order to confine the main shaft 23 in the assembled tool 15, the spring fingers 38, 39 are provided to bear with slight pressure and be across the respective ends of said main shaft. These fingers, in the embodiment illustrated, are swingably mounted on the screws 40, 41 respectively, which extend from the tools frame. It is evident that no tools are required to disassemble or assemble the tool 15 to replace the marking wheel 16, but is accomplished with ease by hand.

One manner of use of the tool 15 is to mount the shank 19 thereof in a proper tool post on the cross feed of a lathe, with the marking characters 16 of the marking wheel 15 nearest the work rotating with the lathes chuck. When the tool 15 is advanced to the work in the lathe so that the characters 16' will bear with pressure into the work, the marking wheel will be turned a part of a revolution, for it will halt when the marking operation is completed because of the relief at 42 in the marking wheel 16; no reverse rotary movement of the marking wheel being permitted due to the action of either the spring-loaded pivotally mounted brake element 43 against the plain wheel 28, or in place thereof the spring-loaded pivotally mounted cam locking element 44 may be employed. These constructions shown in Figs. and 6 are cheaper than the use of ratchet 45 in cooperation with the tooth pawl 46.

The use of the ratchet and pawl arrangement shown in Fig. 7 has been found in many instances to be objectionable. When the end of the last marking character 16" has reached the work, the tooth of the pawl 46, if between the ends of the side of a tooth on the ratchet 45, will cause an oscillatory vibration of the marking wheel 16 and the end of the last character 16" will dance on the work and mar it. It has been found that the marking wheel 16 lacks the required momentum to bring the ratchet tooth over the pawl in some instances. While any slight momentum of the marking wheel, will cause the brake and cam lock devices of Figs. 5 and 6, to hold the marking wheel 16 clear of the work, because with said latter devices no complete tooth need be jumped to establish clearance of the marking wheel from the work.

The arm 18 is provided with a slot 47 which is communicative with the bore 21. The cam lock element 44- or the brake element 43 is pivotally mounted on a pin 48 and spring-loaded by a wire spring 49 to bear against the wheel 28.

An element fixed on the frame of the lathe, in the path of the element 44 when the tool 15 is withdrawn from the work, serves to shift said element, to allow the spiral spring 25 which became stressed by the forced rotation of the marking wheel 16 when the latter contacted the rotating work piece, to return the marking wheel to its start position determined when the pin 29 contacts the set-screw 30. Adjustment of said set screw will of course alter the normal rest position of the marking wheel 16. The stop element on the lathe to trip the brake element 43 or the cam lock element 44, is known in the machine art and therefore needs no further illustration.

This invention is capable of numerous forms and various applications without departing from the essential features herein disclosed. It is therefore intended and desired that the embodiments shown herein shall be deemed merely illustrative and not restrictive and that the patent shall cover all patenable novelty herein set forth; reference being had to the following claims rather than to the specific description and showing herein to indicate the scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. In a marking tool of the character described, a U-shaped member, a shaft positioned through one of the arms of said U-member, in rotatable and sliable relation therewith, a hollow shaft element positioned through the second arm of said U-member only in rotatable relation therewith; said second arm having an interior space about said hollow shaft element, a spring formed with at least one turn and having two ends, a first wheel carried on said hollow shaft element within said space; said first wheel and one end of said spring being secured to the hollow shaft element; the other end of said spring being anchored to the U-member; said shaft extending through said hollow shaft element and fitting therein, a marking wheel having marking elements along ith periphery and a region of said marking wheel immediately after the end of the last marking character thereon being of reduced radius; said marking wheel being carried on said shaft between the arms of said U-member; said hollow shaft element and said marking wheel each having a keyway, key means along the shaft engaging said marking wheel and the hollow shaft element in their said keyways whereby on rotation of said shaft, said hollow shaft element and the marking wheel will rotate therewith; means on the U-member releasably holding said shaft against sliding movement and upon release of its hold, said shaft being manually slidable out of said U-member, the marking wheel on the hollow shaft element, at spring-loaded element movably mounted on the U-member and extending into said space in such member normally bearing against said first wheel and acting to hold it against rotary movement in a predetermined direction; said spring-loaded element when shifted away from said first wheel, releasing such wheel for rotation in said predetermined direction; said spring associated with the hollow shaft element being stressed upon rotation of the marking wheel in a direction opposite to said predetermined direction.

2. A marking tool as defined in claim 1, wherein the spring fixed at one of its ends to the hollow shaft element, is housed in the mentioned space and the turn of said spring is about said hollow shaft element.

3. A marking tool as defined in claim 1, wherein the shaft is substantially equal in length to the width of said U-member; the means releasably holding the shaft against sliding movement, comprising two fingers across the respective ends of said shaft; said fingers being manually shiftable on said U-member to clear said shaft for sliding movement whereby it is separated from the U-member, the marking wheel and the hollow shaft element.

4. A marking tool as defined in claim 3, wherein said fingers are of material having some resilient quality and are swingably mounted on said U-shaped member and resiliently bear against the ends of the shaft respectively.

5. A marking tool as defined in claim 1, wherein the arm which holds the hollow shaft element is thicker than the other arm of the U-shaped member, wherein the thinner arm is provided with a keyway through which the key means on the shaft is slidable and wherein the key means on said shaft is inwards of the ends of said shaft respectively, a distance greater than the thickness of the thinner arm of the U-mernber, whereby said shaft is insertable and withdrawable by sliding movement thereof upon being free of the means holding it against longitudinal movement.

6. A marking tool as defined in claim 1, wherein the mentioned space is provided by a bore in the second arm of'the U-shaped member; said bore commencing in the outer surface of said arm, farthest from the marking wheel; the hollow shaft element having a portion thereof extending from the first wheel in the direction towards said surface; such extending portion having a circular flange thereon, a bushing securely fitted in said bore; said flange being positioned Withinsaid bushing and rotatably therein; said first wheel abutting said flange and bushing.

7. A marking tool as defined in claim 6, wherein said first wheel has a hub, and including a pin fixed to and extending from said wheel in the space about said hub and a set screw threadedly engaged in the U-channel member, extending into such space and in contact with said pin, adapted to push said pin to give some rotary movement to the hollow shaft element; the mentioned spring urging said pin into contact with said set screw.

8. A marking tool as defined in claim 6, wherein the flange is substantially flush with the outer surface of the arm it is in, farthest from the marking wheel; the length of the shaft being substantially the width of the U-shaped member and the means for holding said shaft against sliding movement bearing against the ends of said shaft.

9. A marking tool as defined in claim 6, wherein said bore is through the arm it is in; the inner end of said bore being closed by a ring casing fixed therein; said spring having one end attached to the hollow shaft element, being within said casing; the hole through said casing being of sufiicient size to allow the shaft with the key on said shaft, to rotate therein.

10. A marking tool as defined in claim 1, wherein the spring-loaded element mounted on the U-member when in contact with the first wheel, serves as a brake therefor.

11. A marking tool as defined in claim 10, wherein the spring-loaded element has a concave surface in contact with the periphery of the first Wheel along such surface.

12. A marking tool as defined in claim 1, wherein the spring-loaded element has a convex cam surface in contact with the first wheel; said cam permitting rotation of the marking wheel in the direction from the first to the subsequent marking characters on said marking wheel, but acting to lock said first wheel against rotation in the opposite direction.

13. A marking tool as defined in claim 1, wherein the first wheel is a ratchet Wheel and the spring-loaded element is a pawl.

14. A marking tool as defined in claim 1, wherein the spring is a spiral and is within the mentioned space.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,827,260 Powers Oct. 13, 1931 1,978,330 Scholtes Oct. 23,1934 2,417,865 Douglass Mar. 25, 1947 2,610,576 Norris Sept. 16, 1952 2,676,534 Norris et a1 Apr. 27, 1954 

